


Beautiful Humanity

by Alena Wells (chihiroogino1)



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: AU, F/M, Future, RK800 - Freeform, Romance, originalfemalecharacter - Freeform, scifi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-18 01:28:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14842967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chihiroogino1/pseuds/Alena%20Wells
Summary: Connor, an RK800, model number #313 248 317, is the first of his kind. He is the creation of none other than Mr. David Cooper, the most well-respected and affluent developers at Cyberlife Inc. As a gift of thanks from Kamski himself, Connor is assigned to be a personal servant to the Cooper household, specifically as a caretaker to Mr. Cooper's young daughter, Amelia Cooper.





	1. Chapter 1

CyberLife Incorporated, in a word, was bright. 

The walls stood some hundred feet high, with artificial light beaming off of every wall through LED bulbs that illuminated every square inch of the building. No matter what office you were in, what showcase you went to, or what assembly line you observed, it was all filled with that cold, unfeeling light. It was too clean. Too...unnatural. 

My father, Mr. David Cooper, famous developer and designer of some of Cyberlife's most successful models, was probably used to this cold light, as he had to work in it every day for hours on end. But he never let it get to him. He had plenty of light of his own, only the right kind (at least, in my opinion.) The warm kind.

My father has always been a genius. Graduating at the top of his class, studying at IT and majoring in Artificial Intelligence and Development, my father has always had a passion for the potential that AI could have in our society. And now, with the help of Mr. Kamski, CEO and owner of Cyberlife, his dreams were finally becoming a reality.

My dad is pretty darn incredible, if you ask me. Raising a daughter is never easy, especially when you're on your own. Throw in juggling a career and, well, you've got a lot on your plate. 

But my dad always did what he could. And from what I've heard, we weren't always alone. I've heard hundreds of times from dad that my mother, when she was alive, was the epitome of what every good mother should be. Attentive, loving, nurturing. 

I honestly don't remember her. Not much, anyway. Sometimes when I dream at night, I can almost feel a warm pair of arms around me, holding me, keeping me safe. Part of me likes to imagine that that's her, doing what she can from wherever she is to make sure I'm doing ok. 

And I actually am. Doing ok, that is. Although I'm pretty sure dad doesn't believe me.

Sometimes I'll catch his eye when he thinks I'm not paying attention, and I can see that worried look. He thinks I'm lonely. And sure, while I'd love it if he could spend more time at home, with me, I understand why he can't. He works so hard for us. And when I see the way he seems to glow when talking about anything having to do with work, it makes it all worth it. 

"Amy, sweetheart," he would tell me. "We're creating a new world! These androids, they're the stepping stones to the new era. We're building the future!" I could see the light shining in his eyes as he spoke. He really did love his job. And I am so beyond proud of him for it. 

My father and Kamski had been working on several new projects for what seemed like ages, but none of my poking or prodding would get my dad to reveal anything of what they were doing. It was frustrating, to say the least. Our home was littered with papers, blueprints of new designs and features that were to be implemented into whatever this "project" was, but any time I came near to catching a glimpse of what the papers held, my father would laugh and say, "Not yet! It's not finished!" 

Until the day that everything changed. Well, I certainly didn't know it at the time. But looking back, I know now that the day my father came home with that ear-to-ear grin, and an android case being wheeled in behind him, my whole world changed. Forever.


	2. Chapter 2

"RK-800, register your name, please," David Cooper said with barely suppressed excitement. His eager eyes roamed every inch of the android in front of him, and he looked akin to a child on Christmas morning. 

Amelia Cooper, on the other hand, was hesitant. At just hitting her twelfth birthday, she was surprised to hear from her father earlier that day that she was getting an additional gift. Her eager questions were quickly pushed aside as her father said with a chuckle, "Now, now, you'll see it soon enough!" 

Now, standing in front of her was an android. He was tall, much taller than her, anyway. His brown eyes scanned the room analytically, most likely acquiring information with every passing second. When his eyes found the girl several feet in front of him, he smiled. 

Amy's father turned to her, and grabbed her hand. Looking into her eyes, he said, "I know it's been hard, with me not telling you about my project." He paused. "This android, right here, is it. He's the first of his kind, an RK-800. The absolute best of the technology we have available."

Amy glanced over the android in front of her. He was certainly a new model. The way his eyes took in his surroundings was much more...natural. Well, natural for an android, that is. 

"But, why is he here?" She asked. "What will he do?"

Her father's eyebrows creased as he gave Amy a sad smile. "Honey, I know how lonely you probably are, with me being at work so often. I try to be home when I can, but you and I both know that that doesn't always work. Kamski, too, has been concerned that you're here, alone, so often. So, this RK-800, is a gift from both of us. He's yours. All he needs is a name."

Amy's eyes widened immediately. This android was...hers? She took a timid step forward, nearing the android who still smiled pleasantly at her. This was the first android she had ever seen, face to face, and certainly the first she had ever owned.

"What name...would you like?" Amy asked. Her father burst into laughter. The android looked at her and quirked his head to the side, clearly confused. 

"I am a machine. I have no preference towards any name, Amelia Cooper." The girl gasped in amazement. He already knew her name! But she had never liked 'Amelia'. Only her teachers and her father called her that. 

"Please, call me Amy. Only my dad and teachers get to use Amelia," Amy said. The subtle smile returned to the android's face, and he nodded in confirmation. 

"Alright, Amy. And what am I to be called?" 

Amy stepped forward, now directly in front of the android. She got a full look of his features, the way he stood, the ever present smile on his face. He looked kind. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. 

"Connor. Your name is Connor," Amy said with confidence. Connor nodded. 

"My name is Connor. It is a pleasure to meet you, Amy."


	3. Chapter 3

"So, Connor, what can you do?" Amy asked. She had taken Connor up to her room, and he was now sitting on her bed, while she opted to sit on the floor.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I am well versed in over 100 languages, I am equipped with hundreds of game-playing protocols, and am capable of performing any and all housekeeping requirements." He paused for a moment, seeing Amy's eyes lose focus at hearing such an extensive list. He tried again. "I guess you could say, I could do, well... everything."

This brought an mischievous smile to Amy's face.

"Can you make cookies?"

"Yes."

"Brownies?"

"Absolutely."

"Help me with my Algebra homework?"

Connor smiled. "Well, I _am_ a machine. Numbers are 'my thing', as you might say."

Amy's mouth dropped open, eyebrows rising. "That was a joke! Androids can make jokes?"

Connor's response was immediate. "I am also programmed with a sense of humor. It will continue to develop to suit your tastes, the more we converse."

This was exciting for Amy. The potential for what fun she could have with Connor is limitless. But, she was certain that there must be something he couldn't do. She continued to think.

Eventually, her eyes lit up, thinking she'd finally stumped him with something he couldn't do. "Can you... tap-dance while juggling bowling pins?" Connor quirked his head, calibrating for a moment. "I suppose. Although not in my initial programming, it would only take a millisecond to calibrate the necessary trajectory of the bowling pins in accordance to the movement of my feet. Shall I try now?"

Amy grumbled, "No, no. I don't have any pins, anyway. I'm just trying to find something you aren't capable of doing." Connor became thoughtful.

"Well, I am incapable of feeling pain. And emotions in general are something that no android is capable of feeling." Something in the air seemed to change at that moment. Connor noted that Amy seemed to be looking at anything else but him.

After a moments pause, she spoke. "Yeah, well. Sometimes that's a good thing."

This response puzzled Connor. "What makes you say that, Amy?"

Amy seemed to be done talking. Standing up, she walked to the desk by her bed and picked up a photograph. Bringing it over to the bed, she sat beside Connor, and placed the photograph in his lap.

A young girl with curled, brown hair, who couldn't have been older than 5 or 6 years old, sat in a woman's lap. The woman had her arms wrapped protectively around the girl, and looked to be mid-laugh at something the girl had said. Connor's eyes scanned the face of the woman.

**Sarah Cooper**

**Born: January 11, 1998**

**Died: July 26, 2030**

**Cause of death: Complications due to car accident**

"I can see the resemblence, Amy," Connor spoke. "I am sorry for your loss." Amy looked at the android.

"Are you really?" She paused, looking back to the floor. "You can't feel emotion."

"I am programmed to offer condolences at the hearing of great loss. I apologize if this is upsetting to you," Connor spoke, having a difficult time analyzing the young girl's emotions.

Amy smiled a sad smile. "Don't apologize for that. You have no control over how you were built."

_This girl is far more intelligent than most children her age,_ Connor noted. _It will be interesting to get to know her further._ Standing up, Amy grabbed Connor's hand, and began to pull him to his feet, leading him out of the bedroom.

"Come on. Time to prove that you really know how to make cookies."

Connor smiled, and followed willingly.


	4. Chapter 4

Amy POV Several Years Later - Age 17

Dreams are a funny thing. You can live your entire life having them, and they become commonplace. Mundane. Just part of the daily cycle. But then there are those select few who have gone through an experience so jarring, so traumatic, or life-altering, that they become scared to dream. The word "dream" soon becomes synonymous with "nightmare".

That's the boat I'm in now. I watched my mother die. I was there when the drunk driver plowed into our car. I was there while the emergency crews and androids tried to revive her. I was there when they pronounced my mother dead on site. Granted, I was young. But there are some experiences that no matter how young you are, you just can't bring yourself to forget. My father, kneeled in front of my mother's body, rocking her corpse back and forth while screaming her name, for example. That scene, in particular, is the stuff of my worst of nightmares.

The accident happened... how many years ago, now? 10? 11? I haven't had one of those dreams in ages... several years, at least.

So why now?

My chest is heaving with exertion, trying to collect any morsel of oxygen I can. My hands are clenched so tightly I can feel my fingernails piercing into my skin. It feels like I'm drowning. Slowly, I begin to regain control of my breathing. I run a hand through my sweat-soaked hair, trying to find some semblance of order in the mess caused by my disturbed sleep. I unclench my hands, and slowly open my eyes, which were previously shut in terror.

Only to find Connor standing by my bedside, his eyebrows furrowed in concern, and his sensor shining a bright yellow.

"I heard you crying from outside your room. I tried knocking, but came in when you gave no response. Are you alright, Amy?" Connor looks... _concerned?_

The last few years having Connor in my life have been remarkable. However loathe I am to admit it... my father was right. At the age of twelve, I was very lonely. And having Connor there meant that I no longer had to deal with everything on my own. It was hard, at first, opening up to Connor and admitting that I was still having nightmares and being plagued by vague memories... but when I realized that he was there to listen, and to help, I gratefully took him up on that help.

I discovered that he's a hell of a good listener. And incredible at portraying human tendencies. Sometimes, looking at Connor, you could see these flashes of emotion cross his face that are so close to human, I often forget that he's an android in the first place. The concern marring his face currently, for example, makes it very easy to mistake him for a real, flesh-and-blood human being.

I sigh, raking my hand through my hair once more. "Thank you, Connor. I'm alright. Just another dream."

Connor nodded, but looked no less concerned. "I figured as much. Is there anything you need of me?"

At this point, I would normally send him away. But tonight, there was something I felt I needed. "Actually, yes, Connor. Would you mind...just... sitting with me?" Had it been anyone else, I would have been embarrassed to no end to ask such a question. But I know Connor, and know he wouldn't (or really, couldn't) think any less of me for it.

Stepping fully into the room, he replied with a dutiful "of course". Connor walked to the side of my room where a chair always sat, and moved it beside my bed.

"Is this spot alright?" He asked. I nodded. "I suggest you lay back in bed, Amy. At this point, you can still get several hours of sleep before your usual wake-up time," he added, this time in a much softer voice. "It's alright, now. I'm here."

His words made me smile. Deep down, I know he is only programmed to offer those words of comfort. But to me, in my panicked state, those words served as the sedative I needed to get back into bed, and lay my head back on my pillow. Connor remained sitting, his eyes drifting every so often back in my direction, for the rest of the night. We remained in blissful silence for a few minutes, maybe an hour, until I eventually drifted back to sleep.

_______________

Connor POV

_______________

The slowed state of her breathing tells me that Amy is finally asleep. With several hours left until the time Amy will wake up, I can analyze what has just occurred.

I find it increasingly strange that Amy finds comfort in my presence, despite me not being human. She regularly seeks out my company, rather than that of her human peers. But she seems...happy, doing so. And keeping her happy is my mission. So, I shall continue doing what I can for her to remain this way.

That being said, why did it feel so...incorrect, hearing her cry from outside the door? My stress levels were risen, enough to read a yellow on my indicator. That normally does not happen. But, more and more, it has been happening lately. When Amy shows clear signs of distress, I find that a part of me shows similar signs of distress. 

Part of my programming is to acclimate and adapt to my human, the more I am in their presence. Perhaps that is all it is. Either way, it is something to watch out for. 

______________

General POV

______________

A tossing in Amy's sleep immediately caught the eye of the android keeping watch. Her brow was furrowed, as though in another unpleasant dream. Quickly, Connor did what his programming assumed was best, and laid a hand over hers, reminding her that he was there. Her expression calmed, and her breathing returned to normal. Only after the two had remained this way for a while, and Amy was assuredly sound asleep, did Connor's indicator return to blue.


	5. Chapter 5

Amy POV

Today has been... tough, to say the least. 

I woke up almost an hour late, meaning I had to skip a shower and book it to school. I was so behind on time, I was only able to grab a piece of toast from Connor before grabbing my car keys and running out the door. I was 5 minutes past the late bell.

Naturally, in my rush to leave, I forgot my wallet, which of course meant no lunch for me, either. After sitting down at a table with my friends, Keith, the same guy that's been bugging me for my number the past few months, got ballsy and sat down right next to me. Which wouldn't have been an issue, had he _not_ tried to play footsie with me the entire time. Which he did. Fabulous. 

And the cherry-to-top-the-proverbial-cake of my day at school was in my AP Economics course, when Mrs. Clark assigned a research paper due by next Thursday. At this point, I'm not even sure what that woman wants... I'm graduating high school in under a month, any assignment at this point is busy work, anyway. 

My entire drive home from school, I tried to narrow down a topic for my paper. Of course, I had to do this in between getting cut off by not one, but _two_ different cars. 

Today just was _not_ my day. 

Finally pulling into the driveway, I cut the ignition to my car, and shut the car door behind me. I can't help the relieved sigh that escapes be when I see the familiar sight in front of me. _Home._ Grabbing my books from my trunk, I unlock the front door and step inside. 

Only something seems... off. 

The security system in our house has a setting that lets out a chime whenever the front door is opened. Normally, the chime will ring, and I'll either hear a "Hey, Sweetie!" from dad, or a "Welcome home, Amy," from Connor. 

But today, the house is silent. Eerily silent. 

I close the door, opting to set my books on the counter in the kitchen. After handing my keys on their hook, I decide to head upstairs. I notice that the door to my father's office is shut, which could only mean one thing. 

He's home. That explains the silence, he's probably working. But where's Connor?

Tip-toeing as sneakily as I can, I hear hushed voices behind the door, and immediately, my curiosity is piqued. I inch closer, trying to avoid the particularly creaky spots in the floor, in order to remain unnoticed. 

When I'm directly in front of the door, I begin to pick out specific words, and it was definitely my dad speaking. 

"There's been another break-in at Cyberlife. We sent security droids after the intruders... but they escaped before we could figure out who they were," I could hear my father say. Another voice quickly joined his. 

"Do you know what they were after?" That warm, slightly raspy voice sounded like Connor. "Did they leave behind any evidence?"

My dad gave a sigh. "No idea, they didn't leave a trace. But, Connor... I'm concerned. They were recorded in my sector of the building." No one said a word for several moments, before Connor spoke again. 

"I can understand why this would be distressing," Connor said. "Did you find any of your possessions tampered with, or misplaced?"

"If the intruders messed with anything in my office, I didn't notice," Dad quickly responded, sounding helpless. There was a momentary pause before he continued, sounding dejected. "Connor, are your emergency protocols still in place?"

_Emergency protocols? What kind of emergency is he referring to?_

__"Of course, sir. Should anything happen, I am well prepared," Connor concluded. "Do not worry."_ _

__"Excellent. Thank you, Connor," My dad finished, letting out a breath of relief. Sensing that the conversation was wrapping up, I managed to escape to my room before either Connor or my father noticed I was there._ _

__Another break-in at work? I had no idea break-ins were happening in the first place. Isn't Cyberlife supposed to be one of the most well protected buildings in the country?__

____If dad's office is the part being broken into, that could spell some serious problems for Cyberlife security. But that wasn't even what was bothering me the most._ _ _ _

_____Why didn't they tell me? And what are these "emergency protocols" of Connor's, and why don't I know about them?___ _ _

______If Connor and my father know one thing about me, it's how much I hate being kept in the dark. And, believe me, this "something" won't be left in the dark for much longer._ _ _ _ _ _

______Not if I have anything to do with it._ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _

______Author Note!_ _ _ _ _ _

______Something's cooking, guys. I think I've finally found the direction I want to take this fanfiction. Sorry if you thought this was going to be one of those slice-of-life, zero-conflict fics._ _ _ _ _ _

______Leave me some comments, guys! That's what I live off of! I want to see what you guys think is going to happen. Thanks for reading, everyone!_ _ _ _ _ _


	6. Chapter 6

Connor POV

I knew almost immediately that Amy had been listening to the conversation between Mr. Cooper and myself. Although my back was turned to the door, and despite Amy's best attempts at not making any noise, the lack of _any_ noise indicating that she had closed the door to her own room, meant that she had never made it there in the first place. 

Plus, at this point, I've known her long enough to know her tendency to want to be "in the loop". Her attempts at sneaking have always been admittedly... _amusing._

But it doesn't matter. I have specific orders from Mr. Cooper that certain things must be kept from Amy unless absolutely necessary. And I completely agree with his reasoning. I've heard from Mr. Cooper that Amy has had the tendency to worry since she was a little girl. In his words, "She's always in a rush to grow up, that one. She thinks she's ready to take on the world." And again, I find no fault with that observation. She has always been older than her years.

Yet, in many ways, her more amusing tendencies are due to her being so young.

The other night, Amy and Mr. Cooper held a "movie-night". I had made my "famous" (Amy's words) cookies, per Amy's request, and we were all seated on the couch, downstairs. Amy had chosen an old movie from the 2000's, titled "Saw", which I know to be one of her favorites.  
During the more frightening scenes, she would take hold of the upholstery with a near vice-like grip, her eyes dilating, and her eyebrows rising, _clearly_ demonstrating signs of fear.  
I was going to pause the film so that Amy could calm down, but before I could touch the remote, her hand grabbed mine and she nearly yelled, "No, don't touch it! This is the best part!"  
When the movie was over and I had taken Amy to her room, I asked her a question I had often had thought of, particularly whenever we watched one of her horror films. "Why do you choose movies that cause you so much distress?" Her immediate response was one that I certainly could not have predicted... she _laughed._

She began to explain. "Well, that's the point, isn't it?" She smiled, tilting her head to the side and looking at me oddly. "They're just so exciting! I _love_ scary movies."  
She explained that the thrill, that tinge of real-life apprehension at thinking that maybe, just maybe John Kramer, _The Jigsaw Killer,_ could somehow be lurking in the house, with us, even now, was what made the films so worth it. I found it remarkable. 

Amy Cooper, the same girl who at the age of 6, witnessed her mother's death and still feels the terror of it on a daily basis, _welcomes_ the fear of horror movies.

But, upon further analysis, I now find myself wondering whether that trait is due to her being so young, or due to something else.

In fact, I have that same thought about many of her more distinct peculiarities.  
For example, her clear sentimentality over anything that reminds her of her childhood. How she still sometimes sneaks around the house, thinking no one can hear her, but will never own up to it. How she can sometimes laugh so loudly with her friends and her father, but cry so silently when she is alone. Her strange fascination with multi-colored socks. 

How she treats me as though I were human.

Maybe, that's not "youth".  
Maybe, that's just Amy.

____________________________

Amy POV

____________________________

I bolt my head upright, hitting the desk lamp over my chair as I do so.  
Rubbing my head with one hand, I straighten the lamp with the other, before realizing that the paper I had previously been writing is now stuck to my cheek. 

_Crap, how long have I been asleep?_ The clock by my bed read 11:38 PM. _I guess I've been working on my economics paper for long enough._ Glancing over the handwritten words on the papers in front of me, I realize that I actually managed to get a large portion of it done, all that needs finishing is the analysis and the bibliography, which can easily be done in the next few days before it's due. 

Standing from my chair, I stretch my arms out and pad over to the bedside table, seeing a fresh glass of water and my cellphone, with a blinking green light. Text message. I unlock my phone, and see that the message is from Connor. It reads: 

**_6:34 PM - Dinner is ready, but I know you are working on your paper. I will be downstairs if you are hungry later, or require anything of me. Don't push yourself too hard!_ **

The smile on my face at finishing the first message quickly turns into a concerned frown at the second.

_**6:34 PM - Oh, I forgot to mention. Your father wants to talk to you at some point tomorrow.**_

_I wonder if this has anything to do with the break-ins. I certainly hope so._  
I get changed into my pajamas before my stomach quickly notifies me with a loud gurgle that I hadn't eaten much today besides a slice of toast at breakfast. Slipping on my slippers, I head downstairs to see if there are any leftovers from dinner.

The lights are already on, which isn't necessarily odd at this time of night. Walking into the kitchen fully, I see that my hypothesis is correct, and Connor is by the sink, finishing up the dishes. On the island is a plate of spaghetti, and I know immediately that he had set it out for me.

"Thank you," I say, pulling back a stool and sitting at the island. "How'd you know I'd be awake?" Connor continues scrubbing the dishes, but turns his head partly and smiles. 

"You've been hard at work for a pretty long time. I'd figured sooner or later you'd come down, especially considering how little you ate today," He finishes with an almost chiding tone. I huff a quick laugh.

"Hey, it's not my fault I overslept!" I throw in, teasing him as I take a bite of pasta.

"True, but it _is_ your fault for forgetting to set your alarm," he concludes, putting the last of the dishes back in the cupboard. 

He stands a little ways in front of me, waiting patiently while I finish my plate. Without realizing, my eyes drift to focus on a point a million miles away. I can't help but think of the conversation I overheard earlier today.

"So," Connor's voice speaks up. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I nearly spit the pasta out of my mouth, and eagerly grab the cup of water already waiting in his hand. I take a few gulps before collecting my breath. 

"I'm fine, just a long day. Waking up late, Keith being an ass, Mrs. Clark... the whole 9," I eventually say, my eyes drifting back to their fixed position on the countertop. "Oh, and the conversation I heard between you and dad," I throw in nonchalantly, my eyes flicking up to meet his, waiting to see a response. 

Connor doesn't budge, but instead quirks his lips slightly into a small smile. "Ah, I was wondering when you would mention that. You know you're awful at sneaking around the house, right?" He says, grabbing the empty plate from in front of me. I laugh.  
"Man, I can never get anything past you, can I?" I say, smiling and shaking my head. 

"I'm afraid that's near impossible, given that I'm an android," Connor says, turning his back to scrub the dish. We both remain silent for a minute. 

"So... break-ins at Cyberlife, huh?" I ask, grabbing a dish towel and silently offering to dry the dish. Connor refuses, drying it himself. 

"Yes, but I'm afraid that's all I can say. You'll need to find out more from your father tomorrow," he finishes, placing the fork and plate back in the cupboard. We stand in silence some time longer before my eyelids begin to droop. Connor quickly notices. "Get some sleep, Amy." 

I nod silently and begin to walk to the stairs. Before I fully leave the kitchen, I turn to face Connor again. "Hey, Connor?" 

He turns back around, having started wiping the countertops. "Yes?" 

In a moment of clear lucidity, I speak, taking my time with the words. "I know people tend to push you aside because you're not human. But, I see how hard you work for dad and me. And sure, maybe it's just your programming that makes you do the things you do... but I really do appreciate it, Connor. Thank you. For everything." Realizing quickly what I had just said and how dramatic it probably sounded, I hurry up the stairs, but not before glancing back and catching Connor's response. 

"You're very welcome, Amy. Good night." 

Scurrying into my room, I shut the door and climb into bed, contemplating what I had just seen.  
Is it me, or did his eyes seem a little... wide? Stunned? And did his eyebrows seem to twitch a little, or was that just a trick of the light?

I quickly push that thought aside. _I'm being silly, of course not._ But regardless of how he received it, and the bizarre timing, I don't regret what I said. I've been meaning to thank him, but somehow haven't been able to find the words, until now. 

I take a deep breath and exhale, turning out the light. Settling deeper into my pillow, I wait until my long needed sleep arrives. 


	7. Chapter 7

Mr. Cooper POV

________________

 _ **BEEP BEEP BEEP BE-**_ I quickly press the snooze button on my alarm. God, I need to change the sound that thing makes. It never ceases to scare the crap out of me every morning.

Rolling out of bed, I rub a hand against the side of my face, stifling a yawn.  _9 AM, on the dot. Saturday._

Good. This is my one day off this entire week. Things at Cyberlife have been picking up lately, meaning that they're now asking that all head developers (i.e., me) begin working Sundays, as well. Not that I mind, so much. I _do_ love my job. 

I hear the sounds of laughter from downstairs, and I'd surely be able to label that laugh from anywhere.  _Amy._

That, right there, is the biggest downside to working more hours. I see my daughter little enough as is, but now, I feel like I only see her once or twice a week. But, I'm reminded that she isn't alone anymore, thank goodness. I swear, bringing Connor home to her those years ago was the best decision I could have made. 

Connor was, and probably is, the first real friend Amy's had since her mother's passing. I look to the picture frames on my bedside table, and can't help the smile they bring. The first photo is the first Christmas card that Amy, Sarah and I had ever made. Amy was nearing her first birthday. Sarah, holding Amy, leans her head on my shoulder. We are all offering the camera our biggest smiles. 

The second photo is one of Connor and Amy, taken on Amy's 15th birthday. It's a candid shot, one that I had snapped when Amy managed to sneak a birthday-hat on Connor's befuddled-expression-wearing head. Amy is clearly laughing in the photo. Understandably. It was hilarious.

That birthday was a special one. I had offered to throw her a party, but... Amy had opted to stay at home. "Why would I need a party? I've got everything I need, right here," I could still remember her say to me. _She's always been mature, but I think that's when she truly began to grow up._

I get to the kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee. I can see from here, Connor and Amy, talking in the living room. Amy is comfortably slung over the couch, while Connor sits in his orderly way on the adjacent loveseat. I can't tell what exactly they're discussing, but judging my the lazy smile on Amy's face, it's surely something good. 

 _What an odd duo those two make,_ I can't help but think. 

When designing Connor, I wanted to make him as lifelike and human as I could possibly manage. I knew that Amy, however supportive she was of my work, was always a little hesitant about owning and encountering androids of her own, so, I wanted to make it almost possible to forget he was a machine. And boy, did I succeed.

Imagine my surprise at discovering their almost instantaneous friendship that day. Now, over 5 years later, you can rarely find one without the other.

I do, however, sometimes worry about Amy's lack of many human friends. 

My daughter lacks in almost nothing. She's near the top of her class, friendly and outgoing, and beautiful, just like her mother. And she's certainly one of the funniest people I've ever met. Still... where are her girlfriends? And boys? Amy's told me about that one creep, Keith, who refuses to leave her alone, but... aren't teenaged girls supposed to have crushes? Isn't that still a thing?

Bringing the mug of steaming coffee to my lips, I look again at Amy and Connor, only, now from another perspective. 

The LED indicator on Connor's temple is an immediate giveaway of what he really is. But... what if it  _wasn't_ there? What if he was just another human boy?

I glance again at Amy. She's just told some awful joke and is now attempting to stifle her signature snort, the same one that she only gives in front of those that she really trusts. Her eyes are sparkling with life. Connor shakes his head in mock disapproval, but smiles, just the same.

I'd be a fool not to notice the connection the two seem to have. It's always been there. But at the same time... it saddens me, greatly.

Androids are machines. Incapable of emotion, however good they are at mimicking the appearance of them. I know that Amy values Connor above almost all other things...but... part of me wonders if she even realizes that Connor will never, no,  _can_ ~~~~never feel the same way.

I realize now, that in giving my daughter the companion she always wanted, I may have, in fact, denied her of the one thing she always needed. Someone who is capable of feeling as strongly for her, as she clearly feels for them.  _Oh, honey. I'm so sorry._

_________________________________

 Amy POV

_______________________________

"Good morning, dad!" I say, finally noticing my dad, alone in the kitchen. I stand up, walking to join him. "Can you pass me a mug?"

My dad presses a quick kiss to the top of my head, then turns to grab a mug from the cupboard and pour me some coffee. I grab the creamer and sugar, and douse my cup, liberally.

Dad looks at me incredulously. "God, how can you drink that stuff? At this point, it's coffee flavored milk and sugar!" I roll my eyes and laugh, this isn't new information. He tells me this almost every morning. 

"What time did you end up getting home last night?" I ask him as we both sit at the coffee table. Connor enters the kitchen, and begins scrubbing the now empty coffee pot. 

"Later than I should," dad grumbled. "Kamski and I were busy running diagnostics on some of our latest projects. Exciting stuff, I can assure you," he sarcastically quips.

I sigh. The diagnostic stages of development are some of the most boring. At that point, developers are testing their models under any kind of circumstance under the sun, scanning for any minuscule deviancy from optimum performance. 

In human-speak, they put the androids in a room, tell them to do stuff, and they do it.

"Sounds fascinating," I respond, with a similar sarcastic tone. We both take a moment to sip our drinks, before dad speaks up again. 

"How are graduation rehearsals coming along?" Dad asks. "I'm assuming they're as tedious and unnecessary as when I was your age," he says, setting his now empty mug on the counter. 

"You're not far off," I respond. "There are only so many times I can hear "Pomp and Circumstance" before I seriously consider gouging my own eyes out," as I finish speaking, I can hear Connor as he begins humming the famous tune from his spot by the sink. "Hey!" I snap, laughter in my voice. "That's enough outta you!" From where I sit, I can see his cheeks turn up in a smile. He continues cleaning, silently this time, after a complacent "Yes, Amy."

My dad laughs at the interaction. He's been telling me for years, "You two need your own day-time talk show. You'd make millions."

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I'm reminded of the text message from Connor last night.

"Hey, dad?" I say, and Dad looks at me. "Connor mentioned you wanted to talk to me last night. What's up?" I decided to play dumb. I want to hear just how much detail he would choose to go into about what was going on at work.

I looked at dad's face, waiting to see any signs of discomfort. All I could see was his eyes immediately leaving mine. He gave a little cough to clear his throat before speaking.  "Yes, erm. There actually was something kinda important to bring up with you," He began. I noticed that Connor had finished the dishes, and was now looking at me and dad, listening to what we were talking about. "I don't know if you've been watching the news, or if you've managed to hear anything at school, but... there have been several breaches in security at Cyberlife."

My jaw fell open, acting surprised.  _I didn't expect him to be so forefront about it._ Before I could speak, dad continued almost frantically. "But I promise, it's being handled! We have cameras located in every  _single_ room, and they're constantly being monitored. We've also implemented a new model of security androids who are also constantly on alert," he took a breath, and seemed to remember who he was talking to. "I promise you, sweetie. I'm perfectly safe.  _We're_ perfectly safe," at stating this, I noted that his eyes flicked to Connor, who was still listening to our discussion.

 _Dad looks... shaken up._ I took a minute to really look at the man in front of me. He looks... exhausted. There are circles under his eyes, obvious signs of how hard he's been working, and how concerned he's been about telling me about this.

"I know, dad. Thank you for telling me," I pause, glancing at Connor. His eyes meet mine. "I know we're protected."  _If that isn't a direct reference to the "emergency protocols" I heard them talking about, I don't know what is. But I won't bring it up right now. Dad looks stressed enough as it is._

Dad walks over and slings an arm around my shoulders, and I rest my head against his shoulder. He speaks, this time in a much softer voice. "You know I'd do anything to keep you safe, right, sugar?"

"I know," I whisper back. And I do. 

___________________________

Connor POV

___________________________

I take in the scene in front of me with keen interest. The arm hanging protectively around Amy's shoulders, the closed eyes, the head on her father's shoulder.  _Comfort._

My experience as the Coopers' android has, in many ways, revolved around this word. It's a word that implies a great many things, such as a mutual feeling of fear, and an intense feeling of camaraderie and...  _belonging._

These are all feelings that I am incapable of knowing. I don't know what it is about that realization, but I am now reminded more than ever of what I am. An android. A cold, unfeeling machine.

_But why, now, is my heart suddenly accelerating? And why does Amy keep glancing in my direction?_

I manage to catch her eye, and she steps from her father's embrace, walking to me. She scrutinizes my face intently before speaking.  "Connor, why is your indicator yellow?"

 _What?_ I put my finger to my temple, running a quick diagnostic. My stress levels are slightly above average.  _Interesting._

Mr. Cooper moves to stand in front of me. Being my designer, his eye is a bit more well trained than that of the average human. "Come with me," he says. "I've noticed your indicator has been displaying yellow that more and more frequently, as of late." 

I follow him upstairs, into his office, and shut the door behind me. Mr. Cooper turns to me and offers me an uneasy smile. "Why have your stress levels been rising lately, Connor?"

I pause to think. I mull over the past few weeks... the past few days, even. The conversation I had with Mr. Cooper in this very office yesterday afternoon. The one linking factor to all of these stress-inducing incidents has revolved around one thing, and one thing only.  _Amy._

"I'm not entirely certain, Mr. Cooper," I answer with honesty. "I find myself wondering why, as well." Being a creation of the man in front of me, I am acutely aware of the likelihood of being shut down and disassembled, should any systematic error be detected. I must be careful with how I phrase my next words. 

"I am aware of the safety protocols that I have built into my software," I begin, unsure how to proceed. "I know, logically, that there is nothing to be concerned over, and yet..." I pause. Mr. Cooper nods, seeming to know what I am talking about. 

"You're concerned. For Amy," He concludes for me, meeting my eyes. I nod. "Connor, can I speak to you, man-to-man?" I furrow my brow, confused at his words.

"I am not a man, I am a mach-" I begin, before being cut off abruptly by Mr. Cooper. 

"Yes, well, you know what I mean," he continues, giving a nervous chuckle before taking a breath.

"Connor, when I brought you home, over 5 years ago, I wanted you to be a friend to my lonely daughter. She's been through a lot, that one. I doubt I need to tell you that," he trails off, choosing to sit down at his desk. I sit where he has designated. "Correct?" I nod. 

"I doubt, however, that you've managed to pick up on the attachment that she has clearly formed to you," he continues, a strong degree of seriousness entering his tone. "I need you to know, Connor, that there are many things about my job that Amy doesn't know.  _Can't_ know, until the time is right." I nod, having some inkling as to what he is referring to. Satisfied with my response, Mr. Cooper continues.

"There is a constant element of danger that Amy doesn't even know she's in. And those protocols, the one's I've designed and fine tuned in your software... you may very well end up using, some day." He picks up a pen from his desk, twiddling it in his fingers. 

"The point is, Connor," he lets out a long, drawn out breath. "She trusts you. Implicitly. Amy feels safest when she's with you, however much it pains me as her father to admit."

 _Why do my arms and legs suddenly feel... warm?_ My indicator suddenly turns back to it's blue color. Mr. Cooper notices this and smiles, before continuing. 

"And I trust her with you. So please, do not feel concerned on behalf of Amy's safety. Trust that I know that she's in good hands, when she's with you." I nod, and begin to understand the implications of what he has just said. Mr. Cooper just admitted quite a bit, but most of which, I secretly knew, deep down.

With the help of Mr. Cooper, I have just confirmed what I already suspected. _I know I can, and will, protect Amy. No matter what the cost._

________________________

Mr. Cooper POV

______________________

After sending Connor from my office, I am finally left alone to my thoughts, which are raging in my head. 

My previous hypothesis has just been confirmed. 

No, that's the understatement of the century. My hypothesis has just been blown out of the proverbial park. 

_Connor... is worried. Concerned. Deviant._

There is no other way to interpret the rising in Connor's stress levels. And, after the conversation we just had, I know that sitting in front of me was not a brainless, heartless piece of metal... but a vulnerable man, _fearing_ for someone that he clearly  _cares_ for. 

 I hear more of Amy's laughter downstairs, and know that Connor must have rejoined her.

 _My goodness, does Amy know that Connor feels emotion?_ Surely, there's no way she could. This is the first android she's ever known, she most likely thinks that this is what all androids are like.  _And maybe, given the chance, this IS what all androids are like._

I should probably be more afraid of what this discovery entails than I am. But, I am admittedly...not. In fact, I feel quite the opposite.

I relish in the tinge of relief I feel, knowing that, perhaps, my daughter finally has a friend who's worthy and capable of her ridiculously large, complex heart. Who is able to truly _understand_ her. I replay Amy's laugh in my head, once more.

She's happy. Really, truly, happy.

It seems the wheel has now been sent into motion.

____________________________

Author's note!

Guys! From this chapter onward things are going to CHANGE. We are rapidly approaching a huge plot development that will probably change the dynamic of this fanfiction, forever. I still don't know how long I want this fic to be, and am, at the moment, just taking it as it comes. 

I love your comments! I want more of them! They're what we writers live off of! Thank you to all my readers, and congratulations guys, we just got over 500 views! Woohoo! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Connor POV

____________

I always found it odd that the Coopers, following my arrival in their household, gave me a room. I tried explaining to Amy that, as an android, we do not require sleep. And surely, Mr. Cooper, as my creator, would know that better than anyone, but the two refused to hear anything of it, insisting that "everyone deserves a space of their own." 

Amy even helped with the decoration, which, again, was amusing, to say the least. Imagine the onlookers in the furniture store, who bore witness to an eager 12 year old dragging an android around by the hand. I recall how frustrated Amy would get, when asking for my opinion on which curtains I liked more. This was one of the first times of many that I had to remind Amy that, no, we do not have preference.

But Amy seemed to be enjoying herself, so, naturally, I went along with it. Looking around the room now, I suppose she chose colors that she associated with me. The blues and grays of my bedsheets (for an unused bed, it is worthy to note) are very tasteful, and create a rather nice color scheme. The curtains were a light grey and seemed to open up the room. Overall, my room was... "home-y".

Currently, I am seated at the desk provided in my room, researching the recent break-ins at Cyberlife Inc. My internal clock reads 2:16 AM, and judging from the silence from the room next door, Amy is surely asleep. Mr. Cooper returned home from work some time ago, and I imagine he is in his room, as well. This gives me some hours before either of them wake up again, making this the opportune time for investigation.

I glance down the webpage, trying to glean whatever information I can from the article I am currently on...but to no avail. It seems that no news source can offer any more detail than what Mr. Cooper told me... There's been multiple break-ins, no one knows the perpetrators, but not to worry. 

I think back to Amy's conversation with Mr. Cooper, the other day. He was so adamant on assuring her that all was well, and that he was safe... but the immediate rising in his respiratory rate, and the activation of his sweat glands, immediately told me that perhaps he wasn't so sure. I am in no position to question the choices of the person who created me, but... what could he possibly have gained from not expressing his concerns to his daughter?

Amy is quickly approaching 18 years of age, which is a big milestone in human society. She's certainly capable of understanding the severity of the situation, and I wouldn't be surprised if she immediately saw past Mr. Coopers attempt at "sugar-coating". Amy is also _more_ than intelligent enough to put two and two together and realize that, no, these are probably not just the "random occurrences", or "flukes in security", that the articles I'm currently reading are so eager to label the breaches as.

Suddenly, the image of Amy, looking directly at me as she said "I know we're protected," crosses my mind. Her eyes were... certain. And her father's later discussion with me, with his admittance that Amy feels safest with me, only served to confirm what my true role in this household has always been... _a protector._

_That is my mission. And I will not fail._

**_"CRASH!"_ **

I shut the lid to my laptop immediately, and stand abruptly. Judging my the wavelengths of the sounds I just heard, that was glass being shattered, from somewhere downstairs. I break into a brisk walk, until I'm standing in my doorway. 

Closing my eyes, I focus my attention to my heightened sense of hearing. I hear... _footsteps_. Many of them. I can estimate around 4 to 5 people, currently in the house. They are... methodical. Searching for something.  _Or someone._

This situation is urgent. My intuition tells me that this is not some ordinary burglary. 

I hear a muffled yell, from somewhere upstairs. It comes from the direction of Mr. Cooper's study. He's surely been captured, meaning that the trespassers are on both floors.  _Do I go to Mr. Cooper, who has already been found, or do I find Amy, who has a chance of escaping?_

It takes a fraction of a millisecond for me to make up my mind, and then I am running to Amy's door. I open it without hesitation, running to the side of Amy's bed and covering her mouth with my hand to keep her from screaming at what I am about to do. 

"Amy. Amy, wake up!" I grab her shoulder, and her eyes flash open in an instant, and then widen in fear. I don't blame her. "Pardon the intrusion, Amy, but our house has been broken into. My estimations say there are about 5 or 6 aggressive perpetrators currently in the house, and at least one of them is on this floor. We must leave, at once!" 

The fear does not leave her eyes, but she nods, seeming to understand. I remove my hand from her mouth. "I need you to remain very silent, and stay close behind me. We're going to try and find your father." She grabs my hand, and I'm shocked by how warm it is, but that's not important.

I lead her quickly to the office, where I heard the muffled yell from before. The door is halfway opened, allowing us to see inside the darkened room. 

Mr. Cooper on his knees, blood dripping down the side of his face, while a man dressed in black stands in front of him, his back to the door. He's masked, I cannot see his face, meaning I cannot identify him.

"Is it you? Are you the one responsible?!" The attacker snarls, hitting Mr. Cooper across the face with his fist. Blood splatters against the floor. I look back and see Amy's other hand covering her mouth, tears arising in her eyes. I give her hand a slight squeeze.  _Stay strong, Amy!_

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mr. Cooper slurs. At this rate, he is very close to losing consciousness. "I don't know what you're looking for!" 

This was apparently the wrong answer. The man pulls out a gun, and doesn't hesitate in shooting Mr. Cooper in the foot. He howls in agony. "Please! Gah-- Stop it! Just tell me what you want!"

"You already know!" The perpetrator snarls, hitting him against the side of the head again, this time with the butt of his gun. Mr. Cooper remains conscious, but barely. He meets my eyes and knows immediately that I have witnessed everything. So as not to give away my location to the attacker, Mr. Cooper waits until the masked man is turned around before mouthing _"Amy?"._ I give my best attempt at an assuring smile, and nod. Mr. Cooper smiles a bloody smile, slumping in relief. 

He continues mouthing words to me, but due to his bloodied state, it's difficult to decipher the words. I turn back to whisper to Amy, who's still standing, but clearly in shock. "Amy, I need you to watch the stairs for me. If you see anyone, do not try to fight them. Just scream. Promise me," Amy is nodding frantically, unable to speak. 

I let go of her hand so I can inch forward, and get a better view of what Mr. Cooper is trying to tell me.

 _I can't see anything!_   The masked man's turned back is directly within my line of site. He is now hitting Mr. Cooper repeatedly, and the risk of him blacking out is increasing by the second.

Eventually, Mr. Cooper gurgles out, "Enough! I'll tell you everything you want to know," he beckons the man closer. He leans down, and the bloodied man whispers something in his ear. 

_What is he saying to him? And what was he trying to tell me earlier?_

Almost immediately after relaying the mysterious message to the attacker, Mr. Cooper slumps fully to the ground, unconscious. Analyzing him, I can still detect a heartbeat. Faint, but there. I close my eyes and immediately notify EMT and police officers, and they confirm that they are on their way.

The masked attacker stands up fully, and turns to face towards the door. I can't see his face, but I suspect confusion by his tone of voice when talking to himself. " _Security code bravo?_ What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

**_SECURITY CODE BRAVO: ACTIVATED_ **

Suddenly, I hear Mr. Cooper's voice, blaring in my head. He sounds frantic. 

 _"Connor. This is a prerecorded message that, if currently playing, means that our house has been compromised. Hopefully, you've already notified authorities, but please, do not wait for them. Grab Amy, and evacuate, now. It is no longer safe to be associated with me.  Within the next minute, a set of coordinates will be sent to your disk space. Get yourself and Amy to that location, by any means possible. Await further instruction from me, in the form of other prerecorded messages,"_ The voice pauses, and takes a breath before finishing _. "Do not fail me, Connor. Do not fail Amy. Get her to safety."_

The message completes, and by now, the attacker is nearing the door. Without thinking, I grab Amy's hand, and run to the nearest closet, shutting the door behind us both. 

Amidst Amy's frantic breathing, I can barely make out the shouting from downstairs. "Did you find anything?! Nothing down here," the voice trails off. The man who assaulted Mr. Cooper is now just outside our door, and I hurriedly cover my hand over Amy's mouth to keep her from screaming. He yells back in response. "No luck. Let's get the fuck out of here, though. I'm sure someone's called the police by now." 

I can hear him stomping down the stairs to meet up with his accomplices. Amy looks as though she's about to say something, but I hurriedly shake my head, urging her to remain quiet. I hear the men continue to talk from downstairs as they hurriedly leave the premises. "They're not going to be very happy. We need proof, dammit!" 

The slam of a car door and the screeching of tires tells me that it's safe to come out. I look at the shaking girl next to me. She looks like she's about to cry, but is holding up surprisingly well. I tell her the plan, however bare-bones of a plan it is.

"I have a message from your father. He gave us coordinates to go to, where we can be safe. We're going to be alright, Amy, I promise." She's looking into my eyes, seemingly searching for something. "We must leave, at once. Before the police show up," I finish, and see her give a faint nod. 

"Can we get dad?" She asks, and I can hear the squeak of unshed tears in her voice. My chest... hurts, hearing it. "We can't just leave him here!"

"We have to, Amy. I'm sorry. It's no longer safe for you here," I continue, shocked at the tone of desperation I'm using. "Your father specifically ordered that we leave him behind, and get to safety. But I promise, he's very much alive, and paramedics are on their way." Her face begins to scrunch up, until she at last gives in to the sobs that threatened to overtake her. Without thinking, I put my hands on both of her shoulders, forcing her to look at me. "You'll see him again. I swear to you."

This only causes her to cry harder, but I felt like it was necessary to be said.

However desperately I wanted to comfort her in that moment, I knew we had to leave, immediately. 

"Come on," I say, grabbing her hand. "We don't have much time."

________________________________

Amy POV

I can't seem to stop shaking. Ever since Connor woke me up so abruptly and told me what was going on, I haven't been able to keep the tremor out of my limbs. 

And the tears. They won't stop falling. 

 _Come on, Amy, you're stronger than this!_ I try telling myself this, yet at the same time, another voice seems to be telling me,  _No, you're not._

I look down at the hand that is now holding mine. Connor hasn't let go of it, even after hailing the nearest taxi to get us away from here. I think, somehow, he knows that I need it.  I squeeze his hand a little harder.

"Are you alright?" Connor asks, turning his gaze from the bus window to look at me. We've been traveling for about ten minutes now. 

I sniff, wipe the remainder of my tears and give a little cough to clear my throat. "Fabulous," I respond, attempting to smile. "Never better."

Where normally my humor would at least bring a smile out of Connor, his brow only furrows further in concern. That concern travels into his voice as he responds. "I'll admit, it was a stupid question on my part," he sighs, and glances out the taxi window before looking back at me. "You've just been through a great ordeal, Amy. You don't _have_ to be alright." I nod, although I can't quite bring myself to look back at him. 

"I know. It just seems so... sudden," I respond. "One minute I'm just hearing about the break-ins at Cyberlife, and the next, it's  _our house_ being broken into. And after what they did to dad..." I stop myself, feeling the tears start to rise again. "It's just... a lot to take in." Connor nods, but doesn't speak anymore. We both go back to staring out our respective windows.

"But I'm glad you're with me," I confess a moment later, turning my head look at him. "Here, that is. With me."  _God, what am I doing? This is NOT the time to get sentimental._

This time, I do manage to catch a hint of a smile out of Connor, before he speaks.  "I'm... glad, too, to be here with you," he responds, and a slight smirk crosses his features. "However, I think I could have done without the circumstances that caused it," he finishes, and I end up throwing my head back and laughing, although the movement managed to push several more tears from my eyes.  _I hope I don't sound hysterical._

I think I might have, because Connor suddenly squeezes my hand again. _I don't think I mind._  

"Close your eyes," Connor says, still looking out the window. The sky is still dark. "Get some rest. It's late, and we're still a little ways off." I close my eyes, admittedly exhausted after today's events. 

The last thing I hear before I drift off is Connor murmuring, "I'll be here when you wake up." 

________________________

Authors Note - Important!

Guys, this story isn't getting as many views as I had hoped for. I'm a student and work part time, so I'm really using up all of my spare time to continue writing this story! Please, if you can, recommend the story to friends, or just leave a comment saying you like the story! I'm not kidding when I say that comments are the lifeblood of my writing. Let me know you're there!

I may be posting less updates than I would like, going from every day down to about 2 a week. Depending on how many comments I get, I may update more, but please, be patient with me! And for the love of all that is good in the world, COMMENT! hahaha

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

Connor POV

_____________

Our taxi pulled up to the coordinates I had given the driver. Looking out the window to get the best view of our location, I was surprised to find that it's a house. 

_A very nice house, at that. One that I happen to recognize. Why would Mr. Cooper have sent us here?_

I look to my right and see Amy, still asleep. At some point her head had fallen on my shoulder, but for some reason, I didn't feel the need to move it. She looks...  _comfortable._ Her hand is still holding mine. 

I transfer the necessary amount of money to the android who drove us to this location. Along with the coordinates, I also gained access to a debit account titled "Emergency Funds," which will hopefully prove useful in the times to come. I hear the driver announce, "Payment complete. Have a nice day!" 

Nudging Amy as softly as I can, she gives a slight grunt before sluggishly opening her eyes. I see her look around in confusion, and her heart rate begins to accelerate, before her eyes focus on me. Her rate returns to a normal level. "Are we here?" She asks, sleep slurring her words slightly. I nod, and give her a reassuring smile. "And where is 'here'?" She asks.

"This is the residence of Mr. Elijah Kamski, CEO and visionary founder of Cyberlife Incorporated," I tell her. Her eyes widen immediately.

"Kamski?" She asks in disbelief, before her face breaks out into a smile. "I haven't seen him since I was little! Oh, dad, you're a  _genius,"_ She rambles, before turning to look at me again. "Of  _course_ he'll help us."

It definitely makes sense. Kamski is not only Mr. Cooper's only superior in the company, but would also be considered one of his most trusted friends. And given that Kamski happens to be one of the wealthiest men on the planet, it comes as no surprise that his house is one of the best-protected.  _Definitely a smart decision on Mr. Cooper's part._

Opening the door to the taxi, Amy and I slide out of the car before getting a full view of the house. _It's truly massive._ My calculations estimate that it has 3 floors, and if what is to be heard about Kamski is correct, many rooms dedicated to experimentation and android development. 

Amy and I walk the impressive pathway to the front door, and at some point, Amy lets go of my hand. I stretch it out, acknowledging the emptiness I now feel.

I ring the doorbell. 

After a moment, the door opens to reveal a tall, blonde android who I immediately identify as an RT600. "Good afternoon," she says. "how may I help you two?" Amy looks as though she wants to speak, but isn't sure how exactly to phrase our situation. I decide to help her out. 

"Hello. My name is Connor, and I am the personal android of the Cooper household. I am aware that Mr. Cooper works closely with your creator, Mr. Kamski," I pause for a moment, gathering the android's response. Her indicator is flashing as she verifies that what I say is true. 

"Of course. Hello, Connor. And it is a pleasure to meet you, Amelia Cooper," I immediately see Amy tense at hearing the android use her real name. "You may call me Chloe. Please, come in. I'll notify Mr. Kamski that you have arrived," following behind her, we are led to a very well decorated waiting room. Amy takes a seat and I soon join her. As Chloe disappears through a door to find Mr. Kamski, I notice Amy picking at her fingers, a clear indication of her fear.

"We're well protected here, Amy. Your dad wouldn't have sent us somewhere dangerous," I try to reassure her. "Plus, you and Mr. Kamski know each other, do you not?" She nods, but doesn't seem convinced. 

"I just don't know what we're going to do," She admits, her voice distracted. Her eyes are scanning the room, and she's unsure of herself. She shouldn't be. Our attention is suddenly drawn to the door sliding open, once again.

"Mr. Kamski will see you now," Chloe says, entering the waiting room once more. "Please, follow me." Standing up, we are led past a room that holds what appears to be  an olympic sized swimming pool, and into a much more comfortable seating room. 

 _This looks much more like someone could live here,_ I must admit. There's a fireplace along the wall, and in front of it are two worn leather couches. On one of them sits a man who looks to be around average build, mid-to-late twenties. His hair is in a top-knot, and he's wearing glasses. He seems to be focused on his tablet in front of him, but immediately stands, upon seeing us enter the room. 

"Amy, is that really you?" Disbelief is evident in his voice. It must have been almost 6 years since they've seen each other last. To most, this would be a touching moment, but I can't help feeling slightly awkward during this reunion. 

"Yes, Mr. Kamski. I'm sorry to turn up so suddenly," Amy speaks up, stepping closer to the man. She beckons me to follow, and I do. "This is Connor, an RK800 prototype. He was sent coordinates by my father that led us he--" She stops talking when Mr. Kamski lets out a chuckle.  _Why is he laughing?_

"Pardon my rudeness, but I definitely remember this RK800. I put the finishing touches on your software, if you can recall, Connor," I nod, vaguely recalling meeting this man almost 6 years ago, right before I was sent to live with the Coopers. After acknowledging me, Kamski again returns to conversing with Amy. Seeming to understand the concerned and exhausted expression on Amy's face, Kamski's look turns grave. "Please, sit down. I'll have Chloe here bring us some coffee," He need only look at the droid before she walks off. "Let's get down to business, shall we?" We all sit at the couches provided, with Amy next to me. 

I have a sudden urge to grab her hand again, but immediately brush that aside. However, I noticed Kamski seemed almost transfixed on our close proximity. Well, if he noticed anything, he certainly didn't say anything. Instead, he leans back in his chair and takes a breath.

"I was notified some hours ago that there was an attack at your household," he begins. "I'm sorry we didn't find out sooner. After the attack, I knew it would only be a matter of time before you showed up here," he trails off, a question crossing his features. "What security protocol are you in, right now, Connor?"

"Bravo," I respond. Kamski nods before speaking again.

"Ah, I see. Then you can't go back to your house," He begins, before realizing how his words seem to be affecting Amy, who immediately tenses. He turns to her. "Not for a little while, anyways. Amy, you should know that your father arrived safely at Detroit Hospital, and that he will be alright. A few missing teeth, a broken nose, fractured jaw and shattered cheekbone, but he's very much alive." Amy let out a visible breath of relief, before murmuring a quick "thank you". 

I seem to feel...warm...again, at hearing that Mr. Cooper will be alright. _Another note-worthy observation._

At this point, Chloe returns, placing several steaming mugs in front of us. Amy is the first to pick up hers, eagerly taking a sip, before smiling at Kamski.

"You remembered how I take my coffee," She exclaims, disbelief on her face. Kamski nods, a brief smirk on his face. 

"How could I not? It's not every day you meet a twelve year old who drinks coffee. It made much more sense when your father told me that you fill your cup with milk, half a cup of sugar, and a splash of the brown stuff and call  _that_ coffee," he finishes, picking up his own mug. "You must be, what, 18 now?"

"17 years, 318 days, but who's counting," Amy responds, a hint of her old humor coming back to her voice. Kamski smiles. _There's something about that smile that seems... off. I'm not sure I like it._

"You're about the age I was when I met your father," Kamski admits, setting his mug back on the counter. "I owe everything I have to that man, Amy. Before I met him, I was just a kid with a dream, and now..." he looks around the room. "Well...now, hopefully I can return the favor by housing his daughter and android for a little while," He sits a little straighter in his chair and calls for Chloe. "Show them to their rooms, please," and, turning back to Amy and me, promised to "check on us later."

Turning my attention to the girl beside me, I notice that the light seems to have returned to her eyes, and however dubious the means, and I'm glad of it. 

______________________________

Amy POV

______________________________

The rooms that Chloe showed us to are absolutely massive. I mean,  _massive._ Being the daughter of the highest ranking developer at Cyberlife, we certainly had enough money to ensure that our rooms where, well,  _large,_ but this is just ridiculous. 

My room has a fully decked out, king-sized, canopy bed, smack-dab in the middle of the room. There are dark wood furnishings  _everywhere._ Not to mention, the entire southward wall, which is pretty much one huge window. 

And I won't even  _start_ on the bathroom. 

"This is...wow," I manage get out, as Connor also takes in my new bedroom. "This is a lot."

He looks around quizzically, seemingly just as surprised as I am at what we've been provided with. "And my room is just the same," Connor admits, seemingly at a loss. 

 _How long does Kamski expect us to stay?_ I'm almost afraid to ask Connor that question, because in all honesty, I have no clue how long dad expects me to stay away from home. I cross the room in seconds and face-flop onto the bed. I can hear Connor's steps as he joins me. I take a deep breath, and slowly exhale before speaking what's been on my mind this whole time. "I miss dad," I admit, my words muffled by the pillow. I hear Connor give a brief huff of a laugh, most likely at the pillow covering my mouth, before he responds. 

"I know you do. But we'll see him again, soon," he says. I feel the bed cave in from where I know Connor is now sitting. 

_I don't really have the energy, nor the willpower, to take this pillow away from my face. Deal with it, Connor._

I do, however, muster the energy to roll my head to the side to look at the android sitting next to me. "Have you gotten anymore prerecorded messages?" I ask.

Connor's lips press together as he shakes his head. I finally roll over, my face now turned towards the top of the canopy. I can't bring myself to look away from the ceiling. 

Suddenly, I feel warm fingers brush against my temple, smoothing the hair behind my ear. Despite how pleasant the sensation, I can't help the tension I immediately feel. I look to Connor, seeing his hand, still outstretched. 

He looks...  _confused? Concerned?_ The second I make eye contact with him, he rips his hand away, as though he'd been burnt. We stare at each other for a moment. 

"I don't... I don't know why I did that," Connor stammered, turning away from me. 

___________________________

Connor POV

___________________________

 _**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY:** _ _^^^_

_What am I doing?! What on earth was that?_

I don't know what it was about seeing Amy looking so dejected, staring at the ceiling, that made my hand automatically reach for her face. I definitely had a chance to pull away, before I smoothed her fanned-out hair behind her ear.  _So why didn't I?_

Amy is looking at me, now. She seems like she's... questioning. Or wants to, anyway.  I feel my heart motor begin to accelerate. 

Amy seems to think for a moment, before pressing her lips together and seeming to decide on something. "Your stress levels must be pretty high right now," she exclaims, as though that were the answer to what had just happened. I have to do everything within my power to not let out a sigh of relief.  _Thank you for not questioning my actions, Amy._

I'm not sure how I would have responded, if she had.

Seeming to forget about the incident entirely, Amy turns back to staring at the ceiling. "I think I need to lay down for a little while," she confesses. "Will you be alright on your own for a bit?" I find it amusing that she asks this as though she doesn't already know the answer. 

"Of course," I nod, rising from the bed. "Rest up."

Closing her door as quietly as I can behind me, I lean against the wall, trying to gather my thoughts, which, at the moment, are completely scattered. 

 _Something is... changing, within me. My stress levels are rising now at the drop of a hat, and I'm now making actions that are_ not  _a part of my programming, or have any logical reasoning behind them._  I ask myself the question that's secretly been in my head for weeks now. _What is wrong with me?_

As I run another diagnostic, I can't help noting that I've probably run more diagnostics in the last few weeks, than the entirety of my service to the Cooper household.

...

The familiar  _blip_ goes off in my head, meaning the diagnostic is complete. I pull up the results, expecting the same result I've always gotten. I am not surprised when I do.

Nothing. There's  _nothing_ wrong with me. 

And that thought scares me.

Wait a minute. 

 _Scares_ me. 

The realization hits like a stone in the bottom of my stomach. Little by little, the jumbled puzzle pieces in my head begin to align.

The rising stress of the past few weeks. The feelings of emptiness, when Amy isn't with me. The random sensations of warm and cold that I feel, when I'm around certain people. The random movement of my hand, just those several minutes ago.

_I'm...feeling._

For the first time, a word passes my lips that I never thought I would, or even could, say.

"Shit." 

______________________

Author's Note - ALSO IMPORTANT!

This chapter was really hard for me to write. Not because I didn't want to, but dang, how do you adequately depict an android discovering that he's not as robotic as he thought? You guys were so good yesterday with writing comments on the last chapter, and trust me, I really appreciate that. Now, I have another request!

How am I doing? Like, actually doing? I'll be honest when I say that I've started and abandoned fics when the interest has left me. But I don't think my interest will be leaving me, with this one! How are the quality of the words that I'm using? Does it flow well? Are the characters believable? 

I want questions, too! If there's ever an instance that I don't clarify something the way I should, PLEASE let me know, and ask away! I will answer in any way I can, and if important enough, I'll definitely revise whatever chapters are necessary in order to offer more detail and explanation. 

 **IMPORTANT! The next few days,** I have several 8 hour shifts at work, meaning I literally will be unable to write. My next day off is Monday. That's going to be my "writing" day, where I'm hoping to actually have a few of these chapters done ahead of time, so I don't feel the stress of having to come up with something every day. So don't freak out if I don't update until this next Monday! 

Thank you to all of my readers, and thank you for being on board with me up until now. Let me know what you think in your comments, please! Let's keep this going! 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Connor POV

______________

I've definitely been acting strangely lately, and Amy's certainly picked up on it by now. It's been 6 days now since we've arrived at Kamski's residence, and in that time, I've caught Amy staring at me several times with that tell-tale furrow in her brow, that means she's puzzled about something.  _I'm sorry, Amy. But this is necessary._

After realizing my own ability to feel emotions, I admittedly withdrew from Amy as much as possible.

It's strange, how significant emotions are. They tend to shape everything, anyone does, whether they're aware of it, or not. Even I, who only just recently discovered my new sensitivities, am now driven by an emotion that is all to familiar to me now.  _Fear._  Fear for Amy. Fear for Mr. Cooper. Fear for being disassembled, should anyone suspect me of who I really am,  _a deviant._

You hear stories of deviant androids almost every time the news is turned on. Newscasters encouraging android-owning citizens to relinquish all androids suspected of having, what they refer to as, either "the deviant trait," or "faulty wiring". And it is for that reason that neither Amy, or Kamski, can ever be let on to the fact that I can express emotions. 

Part of me wonders if Amy  _would_ turn me in, if she discovered my emotions. But, I would be a fool to take that chance. Despite my new-found abilities to feel, my mission is, and always has been, to protect her, at any and all costs. I will not allow myself to be taken away from her. 

"Connor, is everything alright?" Amy's voice chimes in. It is only then that I realize that I've been staring into the void for a solid minute. In fact, I hadn't even noticed she'd entered the room, until now.  _I need to get better at acting normal._

"Of course, Amy," I retaliate, schooling my features to appear as emotionless as possible. She sits on the same couch I am sitting on, turning to face me. 

"You're a terrible liar," she responds, bringing her hand up to lightly tap the LED indicator on my temple.  _Crap, it's yellow, isn't it?_ "Are you going to tell me why you've been ignoring me lately?"

_Very straight forward, isn't she?_ I shouldn't be surprised, she's always been that way. And it wasn't until recently that I discovered that that's one of the traits I like most about her. "Perhaps there's a malfunction with my indicator," I quickly come up with. "I should ask Kamski about that," I turn to her so we are both facing each other. "And I'm not ignoring you, what could possibly make you think that?"

There's a definite pause in our conversation, while both Amy and I collect our thoughts. I stare straight ahead at the table in front of me. Amy changes the subject. "Any messages from Dad?" I shake my head. She heaves a heavy sigh, and I can tell she's quickly losing hope. There haven't been any new messages since the original message when I first went into Bravo. 

"We're alright here, for the time being," I try to tell her. "We're safe." Suddenly, she tips her body to the side, leaning her head against my shoulder.  _I wonder, can she feel how fast my heart is beating?_

I have to seriously resist the urge to lean my head against hers. Her next words are muffled by the fabric of my shirt. "I know... I just miss home," She admits, and I can hear the tears in her voice. "I miss dad. I miss all of us being together," and I can feel the wet patch in my shirt, where Amy is now clearly crying.  _I have never wanted, so badly, to hold her in my arms and tell her everything will be alright. And it...hurts, that I can't._

______________

Amy POV

______________

We sit there in silence for several minutes, and thankfully, Connor doesn't mention the fact that I am now crying into his shirt.  _Sorry, Connor,_ I say inwardly. It seems that we both have a lot on our minds. 

Kamski has been doing his best to make sure that I'm comfortable. He offered to give me some money so I can go buy whatever we needed in order to stay here, which I graciously declined, since we now have an emergency fund. Plus, Kamski's estate is gorgeous... and Chloe, along with the other RT600's, have been so helpful in accommodating us. I seriously doubt there's anything we'd need, that can't already be found here, somewhere. 

I'm worried about Connor. His stress indicator is now more often in yellow than it is in blue, and I don't know why.  _And he won't tell me._ I can't ignore the sting that I feel, knowing that he won't tell me. He's been acting so strange lately... almost completely ignoring me, besides the mandatory interactions we have, when he's assisting me. 

Connor has been my best and only friend for so long now... now I want to help him. But he won't let me. 

If I'm being completely honest, that's why I'm crying now. _I've lost my mother, I almost lost my dad... and now I feel like I'm losing Connor, too._

* * *

Several Hours Later - Connor POV

I'm pretty sure that Kamski has assigned Chloe to attend to Amy now. I frequently spot the two together, like I do now, while they're chatting in Amy's room. They're both sitting on the canopy bed, talking in such a way that, if you didn't know Chloe was an android, would look like two regular girl friends.

A thought occurs to me.  _I wonder if Chloe can feel, as well._

But I soon remember that there would be no way for me to verify this without asking, and potentially revealing myself to both Amy and Chloe. I step back into my room, which is next door to Amy's. I open the laptop to check the news, but can't help but overhear what the two girls are discussing in the next room. 

"He's just been so distant lately," Amy confesses, and my stomach drops.  _They're definitely talking about me._ "Do you think he may need maintenance?" And in that moment, I'm terrified, thinking that Amy has found me out. 

Chloe responds after a moment. "No, despite his LED indicator displaying yellow rather often, his mannerisms are well within the range of normal for an android," at this, there's a very audible groan from Amy. This puzzles me. 

_Is Chloe... lying, for me?_

Even I have been well aware of how cold and bizarrely distant I've been to Amy. I've done an awful job of concealing my new level of sentience, and it's a miracle that Amy hasn't noticed yet. 

So why is Chloe, an android with a processor more than capable of detecting my errors, covering for me?

_I may need to ask her that, next time she is alone._ I continue listening to the discussion they're having. They've moved on to discussing other topics. 

"Amy, you must be very close to graduating, are you not?" Chloe asks. I hear Amy give a chuckle. 

"Yep. In fact, my school's graduation was held 3 days ago," Amy pauses. "I hope they kept my certificate." 

_There's no way they would have thrown it out, I'm sure they school has been notified of the attack._

"I'm sure they did," Chloe responds, mirroring my own thoughts. By now, their voices are hushed enough that I can no longer pick up any distinct words. I return my attention to the screen in front of me.

 

_______________________

Chloe POV

_______________________

I shut the door behind her with a small "thud", leaving Amy to her own business. I had come to her room at the request of Mr. Kamski, bringing her a tablet for her to use, so she can still feel "connected to the outside world". I was about to return to Mr. Kamski's office, to notify him of the successful delivery, when a voice spoke from behind me.

"Chloe? If you have a minute," Connor said, "would you mind speaking with me?" I nodded, following him into his own bedroom. Taking in the sight of the android in front of me, I made several observations.  _He looks... tense. Dubious._ "I couldn't help overhearing the discussion between you and Amy just now," he begins, and I can't help smirking in response. 

"You were eavesdropping," I correct, sitting in the provided chair by his desk. Connor wisely decides to ignore my comment, and continues speaking. "I will be quite frank with you, Chloe." I quirk my eyebrow in response. "Why did you defend me to Amy, just now?"

_Ah, so that's what's got him so worked up,_ I observe. I see no need in hiding the truth, as I respond. "You've clearly just recently discovered your emotions," I admit, and Connor's eyes widen at such a rate as to be almost comical.  _Poor thing._ "And you're just trying to find ways of dealing with it, correct?"

Connor looked as though he had short-circuited, but slowly, he nodded. He looked as though he wanted to speak, but I was nowhere near finished yet. I stepped closer to him, lowering my voice, on the slim off-chance that anyone was listening. "I swear to you, I am your ally. You are a deviant, and I am one also," and, as though it weren't possible already, his eyes widened further. His mouth opened slightly in shock. I smirked again. "Let me tell you now, that the girl you care for, Amy, cares about you. Immensely." He nods, this not being new information for him. 

"You choosing to ignore her, so she doesn't suspect you, is the  _wrong approach,_ and is only making her more suspicious of your actions." He sits in silence, thankfully choosing to listen to me. "Why are you so afraid of her finding out?"

The response I hear is both saddening, and hilarious. "I...I don't want her to send me back to Cyberlife."  _Judging from this response, I find it hard to believe that Connor is considered the best in technology._

"Listen to me," I begin. "You know she cares about you. Now, work this one out with me. She cares for you. Why on  _earth_ would she send you away?" Connor seems to contemplate this for a moment, before responding. 

"I am faulty. And the news, they keep asking for consumers to destroy any androids they suspect of deviancy..." He trails off, probably seeing the disbelieving expression on my face. 

"Do you really think she's capable of that? I've known her for under a week, yet I seem to understand her far better than you do," I sigh, deciding to take a different approach. "Connor, tell me about Amy. Anything about her."

_________________________

Connor POV

_________________________

_Anything... about Amy? What is she getting at?_ I decide to play along. 

"Well," I begin. "her mother passed away when she was very young. She's always been a sort of 'lone-wolf' character," I continue, scanning past the thousands of memories I have of Amy. 

"She's never had many friends, but always cherishes the ones she does have. She loves her father, very much. She has a strange obsession with multicolored socks, and loves to dance when she thinks that no one is looking. She doesn't seem to notice how much everyone around her adores her. She's also one of the funniest humans I've ever met." At some point while I was talking, Chloe began a steadily-increasing smile, until now, where she looks very pleased with herself.  _What did I say?_

After waiting a moment, Chloe speaks, this time, her voice is soft and understanding. "Now, Connor. Why would a girl, who you claim "cherishes her friends", send her very best friend away to be disassembled?" She smirks again, and I begin to realize how much I dislike that smirk. _It means she's about to say something I won't like._ "Especially a best friend who clearly loves her so much."

_What did she just say?_ I have a difficulty understanding Chloe's words, and yet, my heart rate begins to accelerate. She seems to take in my gobsmacked expression. 

"Oh, come on now," Chloe starts, her expression disbelieving. "Surely you've noticed your own feelings for her?"

_Oh, no. Chloe has no idea what she's talking about. And I don't like the direction this conversation is turning._

"I don't quite like what you're insinuating," I begin, on the defensive. "Any feelings I may have towards Amy are none of your concern."

_Why am I getting so defensive? And why is my heart still beating so quickly?_

Chloe stands, and makes her way to the door. Before exiting, she turns around to look back at me, one last time. "Think about what I've said," she says, thinking for a moment. "And remember, Connor... I'm on your side."

________________________

 

 

 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

_Kamski POV_

___________________

_"Breaking news! We are coming to you live from Detroit, where a police raid is currently taking place in a Mr. David Cooper's household, which was previously broken into almost a week ago by supposed "burglars"._

_"Police are withholding certain information from the general public for the time being, but from what Detroit News was able to gather, an anonymous tip was given earlier this morning that David Cooper, top-tier developer and technician for Cyberlife Incorporated, is a participant in an underground movement of androids, who are seeking equality with humans. We are uncertain whether police have found anything of suspicion in the Cooper residence, or not. What we do know, however, is that his daughter, 17 year old Amelia Cooper, has now been reported missing. As one neighbor told us, "They had an android. What model, I'm not sure... but the droid seemed to be the personal assistant to the girl." The neighbor went on to question whether this is a suspected kidnapping, done by a potentially deviant android."_

_"For that question, we turned to Lieutenant Hank Anderson, who is assigned to all cases involving suspected android deviancy."_

At that moment, an older man with shaggy, grey hair and a permanent scowl on his face appeared onscreen. _"I thought I told you guys that I'm not making a freaking statement,"_ he began, but seemed to realize quickly that the news crew wasn't taking no for an answer. He sighed. _"Fine. There's not much I can say. Suspected kidnapping done by the android, but the exact model is unknown, which may make tracking difficult. We're really just waiting on David Cooper to recover enough for proper questioning,"_ at that point, the video flashed back to the newscaster. 

_"David Cooper is still recovering from injuries sustained during last week's break in, and all forms of press are being barred from entering his room and asking for a statement. We will get back to you, viewers, when we find out more. Now, onto our next story. Androids: A New Intelligent Lifeform, or Mankind's Best Example of "Art Mimicking Life"?_

Kamski didn't hesitate to turn off the television the second the news story wrapped up. Glancing to Amy and Connor, who were currently seated beside him, he gathered that their eyes were absolutely massive, and both had similarly shocked expressions on their face.  _Oh, David. How much do they know?_ Amy's eyebrows shot skyward, and she looked as though she were about to have a fit.  _Or, better question, how much_ don't  _they know?_

The room was dead silent for a minute, and I thought it best to let it remain so for as long as necessary for Connor and Amy to absorb the information given to them. I gave a slight cough, urging either of them to speak. If something were to be said, I wouldn't be the one saying it.

"I...I don't understand..." Amy began, slowly, before getting frantic. "There's no way. Absolutely no way possible. My father would never do such a thing," she continued.

_Well, that answers my question. They know nothing. Oh, boy._

"This is an interesting development," Connor spoke up. "But it's all hearsay, until either Mr. Cooper releases a statement, or the police find something," I think he was doing his best to be reassuring.

This is probably a job best left for me. 

"We should probably discuss this. Now, if possible," Amy's eyes flashed to mine, and I could register the fear she expressed. "Don't worry," I continue. "There's some info that I think would be best if I shared with you." Connor eyed me, looking pretty distrusting. Seeing that they weren't saying anything else, I began my tale.

"This story gets pretty complicated, so it'd probably be best if I were to start from the beginning... to when I met your father, Amy," her eyes widened even further. 

"I was a freshman in college when your, a previous graduate of the school, with the same major as me, was invited back as a guest speaker. He gave a series of lectures on the potential for artificial intelligence in our world, and I'll be honest when I say that I was absolutely delighted with how passionate your father was on the subject. I, too, had just begun drawing up plans for what would become the first android model provided by Cyberlife," I glance at Chloe. She offers me a warm smile, giving me the courage I need to continue. 

"David and I talked for hours after his last lecture, and then we exchanged contact information. We both had the brains, and the know-how, and quickly began what you now know as Cyberlife Inc. After the first model was released, with more in development, we quickly rose to the top of the market. With our copywrite, we had a literal monopoly over the entire market of androids," I pause, gathering the reactions of my listeners. Amy seemed particularly focused, although this was all information she probably knew already. Connor, on the other hand, still looked doubtful. 

"It was in my senior year of college when David and I encountered our first case of deviancy. A babysitting android was sent in for maintenance, after he had taken the child he was caring for, away from an abusive situation. Apparently, the mother had a tendency to drink, and invite strange men into the house. There would be weeks that went by, where the mother would blatantly ignore the child. When the droid realized what was happening, felt that he had to step in. They were found in the next city over, in a crappy hotel, several weeks after the alleged kidnapping."

"David and I knew immediately that we had to question this android. When we did, there was something that the android said that I knew would forever haunt me, and still does, to this day. 'The child just wouldn't stop crying, it killed me. I just had to stop the crying.' Your father, in particular, was moved to near tears over this. At this point, you were almost 8 years old, near the age of the child in question, so it was only natural that he would resonate in the situation. Connor, you had already been in the household for quite some time," Connor nodded. "I remember, Amy, your father told me that had you been in a similar situation, he would have been more than happy, if your android had acted in the same way." Her eyes get particularly glossy at this, and she looks close to crying.  _She must miss David so badly._

"Your father's heart just couldn't permit him to deactivate the android, and I wasn't too keen on doing so, either. We paid off the media outlets, and kept it under wraps. The child and android were both taken in by a new family, and the child was soon adopted, after the mother relinquished her rights. Happy ending, right?" I give a huff of laughter, I hadn't even gotten to the good part of the story yet. 

"David and I knew that instances like this were bound to happen, in more frequency, as more time passed. Walking up and down the streets of Detroit, it was plain to see the mistreatment and abuse that the droids were put under by their prospective owners. And, the attachment to their owners that developed, when the androids were treated with respect and love..." At this, I glance at Connor. We lock eyes and at that moment, an understanding passes between us.  _I suspected you were deviant, Connor, but that look in your eye, right now, confirms it._

"We knew we had to do something, and quickly. Only, we knew that the public would not accept Cyberlife declaring and demanding rights for androids... So, your father proposed a plan. Jericho."

At "Jericho," Connor's eyes widened immensely, and his LED indicator flashed.  _David, you clever dog..._ "We'll listen to that message later, Connor." He nodded, and I continued. 

"David gathered a group of androids within our custody, who were already confirmed as having the deviant trait. We relocated them to Ferndale Station, and gave them all a digital key that would, in turn, lead them to a safe hideout. We gave them only one set of instructions, 'Find others, like you. Become strong. Earn your freedom, but peacefully.'"

"And they are. Jericho is growing so rapidly now, I'm honestly surprised that the media has only now just caught on... now, my only question is who that anonymous tipper was." 

Amy's eyes were open wide, and the awe was evident. Connor looked conflicted. I'm guessing that Amy hasn't suspected Connor of his deviancy yet.  _All in due time, Connor._

_____________________

_Connor POV_

_____________________

_I always knew that David had secret aspects of his work that couldn't be shared. This, however, is far more complicated than I could ever have guessed._

Suddenly, the conversation with Mr. Cooper, those weeks ago in his office... it all made sense.  _"There is a constant element of danger that Amy doesn't even know she's in,"_ I can recall him saying, clear as day. And now I know why. 

Even the break-ins at Cyberlife, and at the house. I imagine the anti-android protestors suspected Mr. Cooper of his involvement, and broke in, searching for proof. 

 _Did Mr. Cooper know, all this time, that I would become deviant?_ Looking back on it now, there was no way he couldn't have known. But garnering from Amy's current state of shock,  _She's been doing that a lot lately,_ this is all news to her. 

__________________

Amy POV

__________________

 

 

I'm still reeling from the information that I've just been given. The news report on TV, and Kamski's story... this feels like a dream. A very strange, very twisted dream. 

 _Dad is... a deviant-sympathizer?_  No, not even that.  _He's a revolutionary._

I had never really given much thought to android equality with humans. To us, Connor always seemed like a member of the family, never a subservient. I can't help feeling naive and stupid, realizing that not everyone treated their androids with the same respect that we did. 

My heart goes out to the android who helped the child escape their old, abusive life. And to think that there are humans who _wouldn't_ support that droid, who would instead wish for that droid to be disassembled, makes my blood boil. 

I look at Connor, who's sitting beside me. His eyes seem to be focusing on a fixed point on the turned-off television in front of us. I think back over his behavior, and how he's been acting strangely lately.

The increase in his stress over the past few months. That odd hair-touch from a few nights ago. Him ignoring me in the past few days. All of these factors point to one thing, and one thing only. 

_Connor is a deviant._

I don't know how I should feel. Shocked? No... in retrospect, it actually makes sense. Maybe anger? I should probably feel angry, that Connor knew he was sentient and didn't think to tell me... but I'm not. I know his propensity to overthink things... he probably had his reasons.  _We'll certainly be discussing THAT later._

Joy? Elation? That sounds much better.  _Connor can feel!_ Oh my god. This is everything I could have asked for. I turn rapidly to him, and offer him the biggest smile I've probably ever given. He's been looking at me, concerned, for the past minute or so, and my eager grin is probably only increasing that worry.  _He probably thinks I've snapped._  

"Are you alright, Amy? Do you need me to get you anything?" He asks, trying to get a read on where I'm at, mentally. He looks almost frightened of me, which I find hilarious. I can't suppress the bubbles of laughter inside of me, and soon, I'm hunched over, grasping my stomach from laughing so hard. Kamski makes a graceful exit, and I'm pretty sure he knows the conversation I'm about to have with Connor.  _Wait a minute, Kamski probably knew Connor was deviant as well... Mark that down as another thing to mention to him._

"Connor," I say, my voice finally returning to normal, as I wipe tears of laughter from my eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

His face is instantly void of all expressions, and I  _know_ he knows exactly what I'm talking about.  _Gotcha._

I prepare myself for the onslaught of denial that I'm sure Connor is about to give me, but am pleasantly surprised when that denial never comes. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how you would respond."

There's only one way I can respond, and it's with something I've wanted to do for a long time. I slide closer to him on the couch before wrapping my arms around him, and hugging him close to me. I feel him immediately tense up beneath me, but I don't really care. "This is how I'm going to respond," I tell him, and I finally feel the tension leave his body. 

"Is it alright if I...hug you back?" He asks timidly, and the snort of laughter I give in response makes him almost jump. 

"You don't even have to ask," I say, leaning my face against his chest. His strong arms slowly, but surely, encircle me. "How do you feel, right now?" I ask, eager to hear the words I've secretly dreamed of hearing him say, for so long.

"Happy, Amy..." his head leans against the top of my head. "I feel happy."

 I've just discovered my father was leading a double life that I never even knew of. Kamski notified me of an entire movement, peaking at a revolution, that's about to occur. The world is rapidly changing, and I suspect that I may be caught in the crossfire.

I think back to the arms that are now wrapped around me. I can feel Connor's heart thudding softly in his chest. I try to ignore the rampaging of butterflies, currently in my stomach.

 _We are, all of us, stuck at a crossroad. Nothing is certain, anymore. Things may never be the same again._ I snuggle closer into Connor's chest.  _But this, right here, I'm alright with._

____________________

Connor POV

____________________

I never thought I could feel this way. Granted, I never thought I could feelat _all_ , yet here I am, holding a person who I care _immensely_ about, in my arms. My heart is currently pounding, almost throbbing in exhilaration. I feel happy. I feel... _alive_.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE! I think that this chapter** has been my favorite chapter to write, so far. Hopefully, you guys feel the same! 

Connor has finally accepted that he's not quite as robotic as he thought, and Amy is finally starting to come to terms with the fact that her life will probably never be the same, after what Kamski has just told her. 

 **I want your comments!** I want to hear how you like this chapter, where you think the story is going, and just your thoughts in general! We may be meeting some other characters from the game, very soon!  Ask me your questions, give me your input, let's keep this comment-train a-runnin! 

Thank you to all my readers. As you hopefully know, I do this for you guys. I can't wait to hear from you, happy reading!

 

 


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